Legacy OnlineReview

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Step into a world of simulation and strategy that brings a whole new dimension to online gaming.

By Ken Bartrum

The future has arrived and humanity is expanding into the vastness of space. Strange new worlds are colonized, and that means you have the opportunity to make a few bucks. This is the world of Legacy Online, where a strange new world is your chance to start a business empire and amass a fortune. From running the neighborhood drugstore to running an entire planet, this game gives you the opportunity to do it all. That is, if you have the business skills needed. What I really liked about this game from the start is that there's no box to buy, you can download the game for free. You get a two-week free trial before you have to pay, and then the monthly fee is less then most MMO games out there these days.

When first learning about this game I was reminded of the perennial gaming classic SimCity, and that impression does have a little merit. Legacy Online is like SimCity on steroids, meaning those with experience with SimCity should be very comfortable in this game. But even those who have never touched a city/economy simulation game should be able to catch on fairly quickly. Don't let your initial impressions fool you though, this game has far more depth then just placing a building and hoping people use it.

Your first step in building your business empire is to choose which planet you will start on. The only real difference between planets is the number of players on each one. This is nice because it means that people won't be flocking to specific planets to get an advantage, meaning you can base your decision on if you want to compete against just a few people, or a large number of people. It would be nice if they sorted the world list by population size, but at least you can get that info when you click on the world.

Next you are given a $100 million loan and told to start your first company. There are several different types of companies you can start, each with their own specialties. What's nice about Legacy Online is that when you choose a company you aren't locked into that choice forever. You can have more then one company running as you play, which is pretty much necessary if you want to advance. There's even one type of company that you can't even open until you reach a certain level of success.

When first logging in to your new home on whichever planet you've chosen you get to choose which city you want to begin building in. You're not locked into building only in that city, but it's a good idea to choose your starting city carefully because that's where you'll start building your base of power. The game gives you the info you need to make an educated choice and you can begin the path toward ruling the world. Getting to know some of the controls and how to use them can be a bit confusing at first, but most controls are fairly easy to figure out.

The game does start you out with a tutorial that is incredibly detailed. It walks you through all the basics of getting your first company up and running and making you a profit. From placing your first small business, to founding your first company headquarters, and even opening your first import and export warehouses, the tutorial makes sure you're ready to start the game. This puts Legacy Online above many online games already. And though the tutorial does lack some information as far as the later parts of the game, for instance how the political aspect really works, you can find much of that information on their official website, which you can access from within the game itself.

As far as how running your businesses, the level of detail can be as complex as you want it. You can mess with everything from where you buy supplies and how much you pay your employees, to how much you will charge your customers. You can draw customers in with low prices, taking a loss, then jack the prices up once they are loyal and gouge them for a profit. Or you can keep the prices low but skimp on the quality by buying low-grade supplies form cheap sources. The ability is there for you to play the game in whatever way is best suited to you.